Electric-lighting fixture



Sept. 25, 1923. 1,685,620

E. C. WHITE ELECTRIC LIGHT ING FIXTURE Filed Nov. 1926 IN VENT RPatented Sept. 25, 1928.

UNlTED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST CANTEILO warm, on NEW YORK, N. Y.. AssIeNoa or ONE-ms To a.FENTON FISHER, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC-LIGHTIN G FIXTURE.

Application filed November 6, 1926. Serial No. 146,730. I

My invention relates to the construction of all types of electriclighting fixtures for use on ceilings.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide for the rapidattachment of fixtures to ceiling outlets. Another object is to providean easier access to the supply wires and fixture wires for the purposeof making the necessary joints after a fixture is attached to theceiling. Another object is to provide a canopy or cover which may bevery quickly adjusted and as quickly removed without set screws or othervisible means which mar the finished appearanceof many fixtures. An-

I other object is to provide a suitable support for what is known in thetrade as type SJ electric cable in order that this may be convenientlyused as a. supporting member of a hanging fixture. The use of type SJcable for this purposewas unknown in the trade until the applicantinvented suitable means for utilizing it in a convenient manner. Some ofthese means have been set forth in my copending application Serial No.139,991, filed October-7th, 1926;:and other means'are herein described.

In'the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side view of an electrichanging fixture'with the lower portion of the cable and all partssupported thereby omitted; Fig. 2 is a top view of the canopy'or ceilingplate without the clips which support it in place; Fig. 3 is a side viewof. the cable supporting member; Fig. 4 is atop viewof the cablesupporting member; 5 is a top view'of one of the alternate means forattaching the cable supporting .member to a ceiling outlet box; Fig. 6is a vertical cross section on the lines A'A of Fig. 2, 13-13 of Fig. 4and CC of Fig. 5 of the parts shown in Fig. lwith the addition of somescrews and supporting parts; Fig. 7.

is a vertical cross section of a portion of the ceiling plate on theline EE of Fig. 2; Fig. 8 is a cross section of a portion ofthe ceilingplate on the line DD; Fig. 9 is a top view of oneo'f the resilientsupporting clips; Fig. is a side'view of one of the supporting clipsshowing its displaced position in dotted lines; Fig. '11 is aperspective view of a'portion of the ceiling plate showing thesupporting clip in place; Fig. 12-is a similar perspective view with theaddition of the cable holder and the cross bar supporting the same.

r In carrying out my invention according to the illustrated embodimentthereof I provide cap 13 having an internal thread threaded stud 12.

- of means adapted to this acable holder 1 of moulded insulatingmaterial having an opening 2 for the passage of type SJ 2-conductor.electric cable 3 and a chamber 4 adapted to accommodate a knot in thecable as shown in Fig. 6. I also provide a steel cross bar 5 with holes6 to slip screws 7 which fit threaded inserts 8 moulded into the cableholder 1 for attaching the cable holder to the cross bar. I The crossbar is provided with slotted openings 9 to accommodate supporting screws10 for attaching the cross bar to the threaded lugs of outlet boxes orto any suitable ceiling support. In case it is desired to support thecross bar on the fixture stud of an outlet box the cross bar is providedwith a threaded opening 11 adapted to receive a threaded'stud 12 ontowhich is screwed a stud adapted to screw onto a fixture stud. Themajority of fixture studs have a center opening adapted to slip thethreaded'stud 12 so that the stud cap may be screwed onto the fixturestud and the threaded stud 12 then screwed into the cap as far asdesired. A cross bar 5 may then bescrewed onto the thread stud'1 2 untilthe ends of the cross bar seat againstthe ceiling. It will be observedthat the'cross bar 5 has upturned ends designed to bear against theceiling so as to space the cable holder at a by means of the screws 10or by means'of the WVhen assembling the parts above described the cableis drawn through the opening 2 of the cable holder, a knot tied in theupper end and the knot drawn down into the chamber 4. The cross bar isthen attached to the cable holder by the means described leaving the endof the cable emerging from the top of the cable holder on one or bothsides ofthe cross bar. The cross bar is then attached to the ceiling byany suitable means including those described, and the ends of the twoconductors forming part of thecable joined to the proper supply wires ofthe outlet by any approved means. The canopy or ceiling plate 14 whichhas been previously slipped over the cable is then lifted up to theceiling and locked in place with a slight turn through the provisionpurpose and which are described below.

The oeiling plate 14 ismoulded ofinsulating material with a centralopening 15 of the 119 proper diameter to give a slip fit over the isoutside of the cable holder 1. 'This ceiling plate has two bosses 16having.depressed'por t-ions17 in which are located threaded inserts 18moulded into the plate. Ialso provide two bronze clips 19 having holes'20 by means of which the clips are attached by screws2'1' to theinserts 18. These clips are bent downava-rd at one end and then upwardlysons to form a spring catch 22. The vertical distance between the tope'dgevof the ceilingplateand V the surface 17 is'approximately equal tothe 'andarot ated-so thatthe corners 22 of the sp'ringclips 19 areengagedby the cross bar.

By turning the'canopy until the side of the cross bar is stopped by thesides of the lugs 16 the portion 22 of the spring clip passes over thecross bar intothe position shown in Fig. 12. As the ends of'the crossbar and the'top edgevof the ceiling plate are practically in contactwith the ceiling, this looks thecanopy against accidental rotationwithire-spect to: the cross bar, but by a slight exer- "tionfof force thecanopy may be rotated by hand against theopposit-ion of the spring .chpsand as soon as-the clips have passed outof contact withthe' cross barthe ceiling plate maybe lowered.

In order: to lock the canopy position when the ends of-the cross bar arenot hear ing against any flat surface, the ceiling plate ispiovided withtwo bosses 24: having a. top surface lower than the surface .17 by adistance approximately equal to the'thickness of the crossbar v5. Thesebosses provide a loose bearing against the bottom of the cross ,bar whenthe parts are assembled as shown 'in' Fig. 12 to prevent the ceilingplate being accidentally raised and disengaged from the spring clipswithout first rotating theceiling lplate with respect to the cross baragainst the resistance of described the spring clips as already In orderto facilitate the use of canopy s\,vitches I provide a recess 25 in theceiling plate of "sufficient depth to leave only a very jthin wall ofmaterial between the bottom of the recess and the'lower side of theceiling plate -This thin wallof material maybe ,easily pushed out andthethreaded portion of a standard canopy switch inserted through V theopening and held therein by a lock-nut on the outside so thatthe canopyswitch is supported bythe ceilingplate and the pull chain or 'cord.thereof emerging from the threaded stem of the canopy switch isavailable for use in the usual way. The recess 25 is located at the mostremote angular' point frlolnthe normal position of the cross bar so asto give plenty ofroom to rotate the ceiling plate with" respect tothecross bar as'above describedj One of the great advantages ofthis-construction is that the relatively slight rotation of the ceilingplate ,neeessary for attaching it makes it possible to assemble theparts without undue twisting of the leads toacanopy switch. I do notshow a canopy switch in the drawings as these parts are known andtheirapplication understood by all electricians. My invention in thisrespect consists of providing the recess 25 Min-such mechanical relationtoallthe other parts, that a standard canopy switch maybe utilized ornot as desired andin such a manner that no apparent provision for acanopy switch is visible from the finishedside of the ceiling plate whena canopy switch is not used.

It should also be'observed that the shoulders 23 forming the side ofthedepressed por= t-ion 17 of thebos seslfi are straight and so spacedfrom the inserts 18 that'one side of the spring clips 19 is held againstthis straight shoulder so that the clips maybe held in place with onescrew to each clip and the said shoulders 28 prevent the clips fromturning.

It should also be noted that the opening 2 in the cable holder 1 is a'longcylindrical opening of such diameter as to give a fairly close slipfit to the outside of thetype SJ cable used. The len-gthof thiscylindrical opening is important becausefof the fact that the cable issupported on a knot andthe normal engagement of this knot with the:bottom of the chamber 4: tends to bend the portion of the cableimmediately below the knot slightly out of a perpendicular position.Thus if the cable passed immediately out of the opening 2 it'would showa slight curvature instead of hangingperfectly straight. By providingthe long. cylindrical opening 2' the'cable emerges from the bottom endof the vcable holder. in perfect alignment and the supporting knot. inthe cable adjusts itself accordingly. This same improvement in fixtureconstruction has been illustrated in my cor-pending application SerialNo. 139,991,

filed October 7th, 1926, but was first invented in'constructing thecable holder 1. By this means the use "of type'SJ cable for support byknots in the cable is made thoroughly practical'withoutany resultingdistortion Of line or lack .of neatness.

The parts 1 and 14 may also be constructed of other material thanmoulded insulation and still retain many of the practical advantagesdescribed but the invention ofthese improvements ina form which can becarried out in moulded insulating material provides a de gree of safety,lightnessand permanency of finish best obtainable by using the materialdescribed so that the mechanical novelty of this construction liespartly in the fact that the two integral mouldedparts are so formedthatthey may be-takenout of a mouldpractically ready for use without anymachining on the individual course, that the cable holder may also beformed as a lamp socket cover Without materially changing its relationto the ceiling plate and to the cross bar and a material part of myinvention still remain even though the cable be dispensed With and thatvarious other modifications may be made.

The invention herein described includes What I claim as new, which is:

1. An electric lighting fixture including a cross bar adapted to bearagainst the ceiling, a supporting member for the electric cable formedof moulded insulating material and attached to the cross bar, a canopyhaving a central opening to accommodate the supporting member and springclips carried by the canopy and adapted to engage the cross bar forsupporting the canopy.

2. An electric lighting fixture including a crossbar, means to attachsaid cross-bar to a ceiling outlet, a supporting member for the electriccable centrally connected with said cross-bar in depending relationthereto, a canopy having a central opening to slip exteriorly oversaidsupporting member, and means carried by said canopy operable byrotation of the latter to engage the cross-bar to support the canopy infixed assembled relation to and around said supporting member.

3. An electric lighting fixture including a cross-bar, means to attachsaid cross-bar to a ceiling outlet, said cross-bar having abutments toengage the ceiling to space said crossbar therebeneath, a supportingmember for the electric cable having a chamber to accommodate a knot insaid cable and a close-fitting cable passage leading downwardly and out-Wardly from said chamber, means to connect said supporting member tosaid cross-bar to depend therefrom, a canopy having a central opening toslip over said supporting member, and means carried by said canopyoperable by rotation of thelatter toengage the cross-bar to support thecanopy in fixed assembled relation to and around said supporting member.

4. An electric lighting fixture including a cross-bar, means to attachsaid cross-bar to a ceiling outlet, said cross-bar having abutments toengage the ceiling to space said crossbar therebe-neath, asupportingmember for the electric cable having a chamber to accommodatea knot in said cable and a close-fitting cable passageleading'downwardly and outwardly from said chamber, means to connectsaid supporting member to said cross-bar to depend therefrom, a canopyhaving a central opening to slip over said supporting member, and springattachment clips carried Within said canopy and engageable over saidcrossbar by rotation of the latter.

Signed at New York, Y., on this 5th day of November, 1926.

ERNEST CANTELO WHITE.

